Health Minister Vishwajit Rane going ga-ga over his chance one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Indore airport in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh gives away this catch-up game he seems to be playing with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant over proximity to the Prime Minister.
On Tuesday, Rane painted his handle on micro-blogging site 'X' (formerly Twitter) with several photographs of him on the tarmac of the airport bowing with folded hands to receive Modi who is on the campaign trail in Madhya Pradesh. Rane has been camping in Indore where the Bharatiya Janata Party has assigned him poll duties.
He followed up the photographs with multiple posts praising Modi's "visionary leadership" thus: "My unwavering trust lies in his visionary leadership, as under his guidance, our nation has consistently scaled new heights. Meeting him in person always solidifies my admiration for his dedication and commitment to the progress of our great country."
In yet another post he wrote: "Feeling immensely blessed and honoured to meet my leader and Vishwaguru, Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji today at Indore, where we warmly received him at the airport."
Is the Health Minister making up, perhaps, for the missed opportunity to come up close and exchange pleasantries with the Prime Minister when the latter was here in Goa to do the honours at the Opening Ceremony of the National Games where Sawant hogged the limelight and accolades?
Tanavade's faux pas on
National Press Day
November 16 every year is observed as the National Press (Freedom) Day to mark the foundation day of the national media watchdog -- Press Council of India. This year was no exception and several politicians took to micro-blogging site 'X' (formerly Twitter) to greet us journos, one of them being Rajya Sabha MP and BJP's State president, Sadanand Shet Tanavade.
The MP wrote on 'X': Greetings on the #NationalPressDay to all Media Houses, and journalists in print and electronic media, who act as mirrors reflecting the diverse facets of our society with integrity."
Significant words but as he posted the meaningful greeting, Tanavade committed a faux pas. He attached a poster which had the 'hand' the election symbol of rival party the Congress in the bottom left corner. Apparently, Tanavade or whoever handles his 'X' account picked it up from the social media platform itself.
Congress spokesman Amarnath Panjikar was quick to catch the blunder and quote-tweeted Tanavade's post stating thus:: "Thank you @BJP4Goa president @ShetSadanand for using the poster of @INCIndia to extend your wishes on National Press Day. I am sure you will surely convey to @BJP4India @JPNadda & @PMOIndia @narendramodi to follow the ideology of Congress of giving Freedom of Press in India."
Tanavade's tweet was however deleted by evening and a fresh tweet with a new poster was uploaded.
Traffic cell goes missing in Panaji
The chaos faced by residents and commuters in the capital Panaji where the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) is again digging up roads and pavements to execute the unfinished 'smart city' projects is unending.
Interestingly though, the authorities including the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) and also the personnel of Panaji Traffic Cell are nowhere to be found in their task of enforcing at least a bare minimum order on the roads leaving hassled motorists to fend for themselves.
Personnel of the traffic cell, however, leave no opportunity to lay in waiting in strategic locales, camouflaged by Panaji's sparing social forestry to pounce on helmet-less two-wheeler riders and issue challans in text-book guerilla style.
